Social Psychology of Sport 1. Group Cohesion 1.3 Aspects of Cohesion (or, as we will call, it – factors affecting cohesion)

So…. Today… By the end of the session all learners will have… Explored the possible factors that could affect group cohesion Identified the relevant research that supports the area of group cohesion Evaluated the key study of Carron (1982) Developed a plan for either a 10 or 15 marker Some learners will have… Completed social loafing section Completed any missed section Started to write a 10 /15marker

Starter activity…. What factors do you think could affect cohesion? In your groups identify at least 5

FACTORS AFFECTING GROUP COHESION Holts & Sparkes (2001) studied a UK university football team over the course of a season. Data was gathered by means of interview and Observation. Why was this combination of research methods a good one?

FACTORS AFFECTING GROUP COHESION HOLT & SPARKES (2001) Holt & Sparkes concluded that the following 4 factors affected team cohesion . . . . . . A clear role for each member of the team Willingness to make personal sacrifices for the good of the team Quality of communication between team members Shared goals for the team

FACTORS AFFECTING GROUP COHESION TURMAN (2003) Turman ( 2003) looked at a range of coaching techniques and related them to team cohesiveness. He found that use of embarrassment, ridicule and similar techniques that involved “talking down” to athletes had a –ive impact on team cohesiveness Whereas athlete-directed technical assistance, motivational speeches and team prayers all had +ive effects.

FACTORS AFFECTING GROUP COHESION CARRON (1993) Carron (1993) identified 4 types of factors that affect team cohesiveness. 1 SITUATIONAL FACTORS Includes things like the environment in which the team meets and the size of the group 2 INDIVIDUAL FACTORS The characteristics of the individual team members 3 LEADERSHIP ........................ (a) also showed how leadership/coaching style had an impact on team cohesiveness 4 TEAM FACTORS Includes things like past shared successes, communication between team members and having collective goals (………………………………. (b) also found that communication and shared goals had an impact on cohesiveness) Turman (2003) Holt & Sparkes (2001)

ARE COHESIVE TEAMS MORE SUCCESSFUL? Research which suggests YES Gould et al (1999) interviewed athletes and coaches from a range of sports in the US Olympic team, assessing a number of different factors including team cohesiveness. They found that teams with low cohesiveness were more likely to underperform

ARE COHESIVE TEAMS MORE SUCCESSFUL? Although research has found that teams high on cohesiveness are more likely to be successful, it is difficult to know whether :- the success was because of the cohesiveness or the cohesiveness increased as a result of the success How can we know which is the causal factor? cohesiveness success OR success cohesiveness ?????

ARE COHESIVE TEAMS MORE SUCCESSFUL? Slater & Sewell (1994) suggest that both things are true . . . cohesiveness success AND success cohesiveness Slater & Sewell measured team cohesion in 60 male and female university hockey players early, mid-way and at the end of the season. They found that early cohesion related to later success and early success related to later cohesion. BUT the strongest relationship was between early cohesiveness and later success.

ARE COHESIVE TEAMS MORE SUCCESSFUL? Research which suggests NO Grieve et al (2000) randomly assigned 222 male university basketball players to 3-person teams and manipulated the interactions of each team in order to create either high or low levels of team cohesiveness. Each team was then assessed for cohesiveness, given a series of games and then assessed again for cohesiveness. The researchers found that :- there was no relationship between early cohesiveness and later performance Successful early performance was associated with high levels of cohesiveness at the end of the games. These findings suggest that: success influences cohesiveness But cohesiveness does not influence success

HOW CAN COACHES ENCOURAGE COHESION? Carron (1997) offered a 4-point model for team building Increase team distinctiveness Increase social cohesiveness Clarify team goals Improve team communication

Key study ~ Carron (1982) Carron’s paper broke his perceptions of cohesion in sport into four areas: the theoretical framework application to sport implications and limitations future directions

Carron’s theory General theoretical perspective Previous research said to understand group dynamics and how groups bind together, it was necessary to look at: the source of rewards. the means to achieving the rewards. These notions have been developed to be considered as two components: social cohesion and task cohesion

Sports research perspective Although theory acknowledges there are 2 dimensions, operationally defined as one general dimension For example, Martens et al.’s ‘Sport Cohesiveness Questionnaire’ measures seven aspects of cohesiveness, including: the degree of friendship or interpersonal attraction among group members the sense of belonging the level of teamwork perceived to be present in the group This emphasis on social cohesion demonstrates the measures which are commonly used

Limitations… Validity ~ by emphasising social cohesion, other factors that could induce cohesion are overlooked E.g… ??? Goals Groups that are characterised by low levels of mutual attraction do not necessarily lead to a break up / disruption Attraction not needed to form a group ~ can form because of: Similar interests Values Clear goals

Future directions Carron has brought together the various parts of an overarching conceptual system for cohesiveness in sports teams….

NOW YOU BE COACH! You are a coach of a newly-formed team. Using Carron’s 4 guidelines come up with at least 4 ways in which you could help boost the cohesiveness of your team You should come up with at least one suggestion for each of the guidelines :- Increase team distinctiveness Increase social cohesiveness Clarify team goals Improve team communication

NOW YOU BE COACH! What were your suggestions??? Increase team distinctiveness e.g. style of clothing during training sessions Increase social cohesiveness e.g. arrange for the team to all go out for a meal Clarify team goals e.g. have a “goal for the day” Improve team communication e.g. hold regular meetings

TEAM BUILDING Team building techniques can be used to increase team cohesiveness Carron (1997) developed 10 principles of team building. The impact of team building has been tested in a number of studies but the results have been inconclusive. Moran (2004) suggests that the reason for this is that team building can only increase cohesiveness if the team lacks it in the first place So, studies with teams that are already cohesive encounter a ceiling effect and find that strategies have little impact

So… some questions Ensure that you have evaluated and consider the necessary elements for the questions…. Either develop a plan for a 10 / 15 marker or start on of the following…. Describe what psychologists have learned about social influence in sport 10 Evaluate what psychologists have learned about social influence in sport 15 You are asked to form a new team. Using your knowledge of psychology, suggest how you would help them bond as a team 15